JP2006119277A - Fixer, fixing method, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixer which does not emanate such an offensive odor as to make a user feel uncomfortable even if fixing is massively performed and which is high in safety, and is suitable for use in the environment, such as in offices and dwellings, where persons exist nearby, and a fixing method and an image forming apparatus using the fixer. <P>SOLUTION: The fixer 256 is composed of a fixing solute having the nature to dissolve or swell toner and a fixing solvent diluting the fixing solute. The fixer 256 which is odorless and is harmless, as the fixing solute and the fixing solvent composing the fixer 256 , to the human body, is used. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a printer, and a fixing solution used therefor, and more specifically, a fixing solution that dissolves or swells toner when applied to toner and fixes the toner on a recording medium; The present invention relates to a fixing method using the fixing liquid and an image forming apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an image forming apparatus that employs a thermal fixing method in which toner on a recording material is heated and melted by a fixing unit and is pressed to fix the toner on the recording material. In this type of image forming apparatus, more than half of the power consumption is consumed for heating the toner during thermal fixing. In recent years, an image forming apparatus with low power consumption has been desired from the viewpoint of emphasizing environmental problems, and suppressing power consumption in the fixing unit is effective as an energy saving measure for the entire image forming apparatus. Conventionally, various fixing methods that do not employ the thermal fixing method have been proposed. Among them, a wet fixing method in which a fixing process is performed using a fixing solution that dissolves or swells toner is known. In this wet fixing method, a toner is fixed on a recording material by applying a fixing solution to the toner and dissolving or swelling the toner. This fixing method can be said to be an excellent fixing method as an energy-saving measure because a heat treatment for dissolving toner with a large amount of power consumption as in the heat fixing method is not required. In addition, since warm-up time as in the heat fixing method is not required, quick start is possible. Examples of the image forming apparatus that employs the wet fixing method include those disclosed in Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, Patent Document 3, and the like.

Japanese Patent No. 3290513 JP-A-8-72386 JP-A-9-78039

However, many fixing solutions that dissolve or swell the toner are harmful to the human body, and there remains a problem regarding safety. Some fixer solvents use water that is harmless to the human body, but solutes that dissolve or swell toners have not been sufficiently studied for safety.
In addition, many surfactants and solutes that are mixed into the fixer to dissolve the solute in the solution can be felt by humans, and when fixed in large quantities, the user may feel uncomfortable due to the strong odor. In spite of this, the odor has not been fully studied.
As described above, since both safety and odor have not been sufficiently studied, it is not suitable to install an image forming apparatus employing a wet fixing method in an environment where people are nearby, such as offices and residences. It was.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fixing solution suitable for use in an environment where a person is nearby, a fixing method using the fixing solution, and image formation. Is to provide a device.

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a fixing liquid that is supplied onto a recording medium carrying a toner image, dissolves or swells the toner forming the toner image, and fixes the toner on the recording medium. A fixing solution solute having a property of dissolving or swelling the toner and a fixing solution solvent for diluting the fixing solution, and is odorless and both the fixing solution solute and the fixing solution solvent are harmless to the human body. It is characterized by being.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the fixing solution of the first aspect, the odor index is 10 or less, and both the fixing solution solute and the fixing solution solvent have a 50% lethality LD ₅₀ of 3.0 [g. / Kg] or more.
The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the fixing solution of claim 1 or 2, the fixing solution solute is soluble in the fixing solution solvent.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the fixing solution of the first, second or third aspect, the fixing solution solvent is water.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a fixing solution that dissolves or swells the toner is supplied to an unfixed toner image formed on the surface of the recording material to fix the unfixed toner image on the surface of the recording material. In the method, the fixing solution according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 is used as the fixing solution.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fixing method of the fifth aspect, the fixing liquid is supplied to an unfixed toner image formed on the surface of the recording body, and then the recording body is pressurized. Is.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a toner image is formed on a recording medium, a fixing solution for dissolving or swelling the toner is supplied onto the recording medium carrying the toner image, and the toner image is formed on the recording medium. In the image forming apparatus to be fixed to the image forming apparatus, the fixing solution according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 is used as the fixing solution.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the seventh aspect, a colorant is insoluble in the fixing liquid among the materials constituting the toner.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the seventh or eighth aspect, the fixing solution is carried on the surface of the fixing solution in a thin layer state, and the fixing solution in the thin layer state is applied to the recording medium. The fixing liquid is supplied to the recording medium carrying the toner image by an application roller.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the seventh, eighth, or ninth aspect, the image forming apparatus further includes a pressure roller that pressurizes the recording medium supplied with the fixing liquid.

In the fixing liquids according to the first to fourth aspects, since the odor is odorless, even if a large amount of fixing is performed, it is possible to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable due to the odor. Further, since both the fixing solution solute and the fixing solution solvent are harmless to the human body, the fixing solution is harmless to the human body, and safety can be improved.
Further, in the fixing method according to any one of claims 5 to 6, by using the fixing solution according to any one of claims 1 to 4 as the fixing solution, wet fixing without causing discomfort to the user and high safety. It can be a method.
In the image forming apparatus according to the seventh to tenth aspects, since the wet fixing method using a fixing solution is employed instead of the heat fixing, the energy saving measure is excellent. Furthermore, by using the fixing solution according to any one of claims 1 to 4 as the fixing solution, it is possible to perform fixing with high safety without causing the user to feel uncomfortable.

According to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, since the fixing solution is highly safe and does not cause the user to feel uncomfortable by using the fixing solution, a fixing solution suitable for use in an environment where a person is nearby is obtained. There is an excellent effect of being able to.
According to the inventions of claims 5 to 6, by using the fixing solution according to claims 1 to 4, it is possible to realize a wet fixing method suitable for being installed in an environment where a person is nearby. There is an excellent effect.
According to the inventions of claims 7 to 10, in an image forming apparatus adopting a wet fixing method excellent in energy saving measures, by using the fixing solution according to claims 1 to 4, an environment where a person is in the vicinity. There is an excellent effect that it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus that is suitable for installation in the apparatus.

An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an electrophotographic color copier (hereinafter simply referred to as “copier”) as an image forming apparatus will be described below. The copying machine of the present embodiment is a so-called tandem type color image forming apparatus that employs a liquid developing system and includes an intermediate transfer belt that is an intermediate transfer member.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the entire copying machine according to the present embodiment. The copying machine includes a copying machine main body 100, a paper feed table 200 on which the copying machine main body is placed, a scanner 300 mounted on the copying machine main body, and an automatic document feeder (ADF) mounted on the scanner. 400.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a configuration of the copying machine main body 100 portion. The copying machine main body 100 is provided with an intermediate transfer belt 10. The intermediate transfer belt 10 is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2 in a state where the intermediate transfer belt 10 is stretched around support rollers 14, 15, and 16 that are three support members. Of the support rollers, four image forming units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18BK of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black are arranged in a belt stretch portion between the first support roller 14 and the second support roller 15. Has been placed. Above these image forming units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18BK, an exposure device 21 is provided as shown in FIG. The exposure device 21 forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drums 20Y, 20C, 20M, and 20BK as latent image carriers provided in each image forming unit based on the image information of the original read by the scanner 300. Is to do. A secondary transfer device 22 as a second transfer unit is provided at a position facing the third support roller 16 among the support rollers. The secondary transfer device 22 has a configuration in which an endless belt-like secondary transfer belt 24 that is a transfer member as a surface moving member is stretched between two rollers 23a and 23b. When the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 10 is secondarily transferred onto a transfer sheet as a recording material, the secondary transfer belt 24 is pressed against the portion of the intermediate transfer belt 10 that is wound around the third support roller 16. Next transfer is performed. Note that the secondary transfer device 22 may not be configured using the secondary transfer belt 24 but may be configured using a transfer roller, for example. A belt cleaning device 17 is provided at a position facing the second support roller 15 among the support rollers of the intermediate transfer belt 10. The belt cleaning device 17 is for removing residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 10 after the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 10 is transferred to the transfer paper.

  Next, the configuration of the image forming units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18BK will be described. In the following description, the image forming unit 18BK that forms a black toner image will be described as an example, but the other image forming units 18Y, 18C, and 18M have the same configuration. Note that the image forming units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18BK can be configured as a process cartridge including at least the photosensitive drum 20 and all or a part of the components and components that constitute the image forming unit. In this case, the image forming units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18BK can be configured to be detachable from the copying machine main body 100, so that maintainability is improved.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing the configuration of two adjacent image forming units 18Y and 18BK. Note that symbols “Y” and “BK” indicating the distinction of colors are omitted in the reference numerals in the drawings, and the symbols are omitted as appropriate in the following description.
In the image forming unit 18, a charging device 60, a liquid developing device 61, a photoconductor cleaning device 63, and a charge removal device 64 are provided around the photoconductor drum 20. A primary transfer device 62 serving as a first transfer unit is provided at a position facing the photosensitive drum 20 via the intermediate transfer belt 10.

  The charging device 60 is of a contact charging type that employs a charging roller, and uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 20 by applying a voltage in contact with the photosensitive drum 20. As the charging device 60, a non-contact charging type using a non-contact scorotron charger or the like can be used.

  The liquid developing device 61 employs a liquid developing system that uses a liquid developer in which toner is dispersed in a carrier liquid. Each color toner used in the liquid developing device 61 is made of a resin material colored in each color and can be dissolved or swelled by a fixing solution described later. The liquid developer contained in the liquid developing device 61 is a highly viscous and high concentration liquid developer. The viscosity and concentration range of this liquid developer are, for example, a viscosity of 50 to 10,000 [mPa · s] and a concentration of 5 [%] to 40 [%]. As the carrier liquid, a highly insulating material such as silicone oil, normal paraffin, Isopar (registered trademark) M, vegetable oil or mineral oil is used. Volatile and non-volatile can be selected according to the purpose. The particle size of the toner can be selected according to the purpose from the submicron unit to about 6 [μm].

The liquid developing device 61 includes a developing roller 65 as a developer carrying member, a developer applying roller 66a and a developer pumping roller 66b for supplying the developer to the developing roller 65, and a developer containing the liquid developer therein. An agent storage tank 67 is provided. A fine groove having a uniform pattern is formed on the surface of the developer application roller 66a, and the liquid developer is received from the developer pumping roller 66b immersed in the liquid developer in the developer storage tank 67. The liquid developer thus received is carried in a state where it enters the groove on the surface of the developer application roller 66a, and the liquid developer attached to the outside of the groove is scraped off by the scraping blade 66c.
Then, the liquid developer on the developer application roller 66a is conveyed to a contact position with the development roller 65 as the developer application roller 66a rotates. At this contact position, the developing roller 65 and the developer applying roller 66a are moved in the counter direction, and the liquid developer inside the groove of the developer applying roller 66a adheres to the surface of the developing roller 65. Therefore, the amount of liquid developer on the developing roller 65 can be adjusted to an appropriate amount by adjusting the internal volume of the groove provided on the surface of the developer application roller 66a.

In this embodiment, the thickness of the developer applied on the developing roller 65 is set so that the amount of toner carried per 1.0 [cm ² ] of the surface is 3.0 [μg] or more and 60 [μg] or less. It set so that it might become. Specifically, the thickness is set to be 3.0 [μm] or more and 12 [μm] or less. The range is set so that when the amount of toner is smaller than 3.0 [μg], a sufficient amount of toner does not move to the latent image portion on the photosensitive drum 20 and is sufficient. This is because it is difficult to obtain the image density. On the other hand, when the amount of toner exceeds 60 [μg], the amount of toner that adheres to the background portion on the photosensitive drum 20 after development increases, and this is completely removed by the sweep roller 68 described later. This is because it becomes difficult.

  A sweep roller 68 is disposed on the downstream side in the surface movement direction of the photosensitive drum 20 with respect to the development region. The sweep roller 68 is pressed against the photosensitive drum 20 side, and its surface is driven in a rotational direction at substantially the same speed as the surface of the photosensitive drum. Thereby, the toner adhering to the non-latent image portion (background portion) on the photosensitive drum is removed. The liquid developer removed by the sweep roller 68 is removed from the surface of the sweep roller 68 by the sweep roller cleaning blade 68a in order to maintain the removal performance of the sweep roller 68. The liquid developer removed from the sweep roller 68 is collected in an adjustment tank (not shown). After adjusting the toner concentration, the liquid developer is sent again into the developer storage tank 67. In the adjustment tank, stirring means, concentration detection means, liquid amount detection means, and the like are provided, and the toner concentration is adjusted by appropriately supplying a new liquid developer or carrier liquid.

  The developing roller 65 and the sweep roller 68 have a conductive elastic layer formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. As the material of the elastic layer, urethane rubber or the like can be used. The surface hardness of the elastic layer is desirably 50 degrees or less in terms of JIS-A hardness so that a nip can be efficiently formed with the photosensitive drum 20. The material of the elastic layer is not limited to urethane rubber, but may be any material that has conductivity and does not swell or dissolve with the carrier liquid. Moreover, if it is set as the structure which a carrier liquid does not contact by providing a coat layer on the surface of the elastic body layer, the material of the elastic body layer should just have elasticity. Further, instead of giving elasticity to the developing roller 65 and the sweep roller 68, for example, an endless belt-like photosensitive belt can be adopted instead of the photosensitive drum so as to give elasticity to the photosensitive member side. is there. The surfaces of the developing roller 65 and the sweep roller 68 have a smoothness of Rz of 5.0 [μm] or less.

  When the developing roller 65 and the sweep roller 68 configured as described above are brought into contact with the photosensitive drum 20 with an appropriate pressure, the elastic body layer of each roller is elastically deformed to form a development nip and a removal nip. The The nip width in the surface movement direction of the photosensitive drum 20 can be adjusted by changing the contact pressure. Each nip width is set to be equal to or greater than the product of the linear speed of each roller and the development time constant. Here, the development time constant is the time required until the development amount is saturated, and is obtained by dividing the necessary minimum nip width by the process speed. For example, if the required minimum nip width is 3.0 [mm] and the process speed is 300 [mm / sec], the development time constant is 10 [msec].

  The primary transfer device 62 employs a primary transfer roller and is installed so as to be pressed against the photosensitive drum 20 with the intermediate transfer belt 10 interposed therebetween. The primary transfer device 62 may not be a roller shape, but may be a conductive brush shape, a non-contact corona charger, or the like. In addition, between each primary transfer device 62, a conductive roller 74 that contacts the back surface, that is, the inner peripheral surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 10 is provided. The conductive roller 74 prevents a bias applied by each primary transfer device 62 during primary transfer from flowing into an adjacent image forming unit through a layer on the inner peripheral surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 10.

Further, the photoconductor cleaning device 63 includes a photoconductor cleaning blade 75 made of, for example, polyurethane rubber, which is disposed so that the front end is pressed against the photoconductor drum 20. In this embodiment, in order to improve the cleaning performance, a conductive fur brush 76 that contacts the photosensitive drum 20 is also used. A bias is applied to the fur brush 76 from a metal electric field roller 77, and the tip of a scraper 78 is pressed against the electric field roller 77. The toner removed from the photoconductor drum 20 by the photoconductor cleaning blade 75 and the fur brush 76 is accommodated in the photoconductor cleaning device 63. Thereafter, the toner is brought to one side of the photoconductor cleaning device 63 by the recovery screw 79, returned to the liquid developing device 61 through a toner recycling device (not shown), and reused.
Further, the static elimination device 64 is constituted by a static elimination lamp, and irradiates light to initialize the surface potential of the photosensitive drum 20.

  In the image forming unit 18 having the above configuration, first, the surface of the photosensitive drum 20 is uniformly charged by the charging device 60 as the photosensitive drum 20 rotates. Next, based on the image information read by the scanner 300, the exposure device 21 irradiates writing light L such as a laser or LED to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 20. Thereafter, the electrostatic latent image is visualized by the liquid developing device 61 to form a toner image. This toner image is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 10 by the primary transfer device 62. The transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 20 after the primary transfer is removed by the photosensitive member cleaning device 63, and thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 20 is discharged by the static eliminating device 64, and the next image formation is performed. Provided.

Next, the operation of the copying machine 100 will be described.
When copying a document using the copying machine having the above-described configuration, first, the document is set on the document table 30 of the automatic document feeder 400. Alternatively, the automatic document feeder 400 is opened, a document is set on the contact glass 32 of the scanner 300, and the automatic document feeder 400 is closed and pressed by it. Thereafter, when the user presses a start switch (not shown), when the document is set on the automatic document feeder 400, the document is conveyed onto the contact glass 32. Then, the scanner 300 is driven and the first traveling body 33 and the second traveling body 34 start traveling. Thereby, the light from the first traveling body 33 is reflected by the document on the contact glass 32, and the reflected light is reflected by the mirror of the second traveling body 34 and guided to the reading sensor 36 through the imaging lens 35. . In this way, the image information of the original is read.

When the start switch is pressed by the user, a drive motor (not shown) is driven, and one of the support rollers 14, 15, 16 is rotationally driven to rotate the intermediate transfer belt 10. At the same time, the photosensitive drums 20Y, 20C, 20M, 20BK of the image forming units 18Y, 18C, 18M, and 18BK and the secondary transfer belt 24 of the secondary transfer device 22 are also rotationally driven. At this time, the detection marks provided on the back surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 are detected by a mark sensor (not shown), thereby synchronizing the image forming units. The intermediate transfer belt 10, the photosensitive drums 20Y, 20C, 20M, 20BK and the secondary transfer belt 24 are controlled so that a constant relative speed is maintained among them. Thereafter, based on the image information read by the reading sensor 36 of the scanner 300, the exposure device 21 irradiates the writing light L onto the photosensitive drums 20C, 20M, 20Y, and 20BK of the respective image forming units. As a result, electrostatic latent images are formed on the photosensitive drums 20C, 20M, 20Y, and 20BK, and are visualized by the liquid developing devices 61C, 61M, 61Y, and 61BK. Then, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black toner images are formed on the photosensitive drums 20C, 20M, 20Y, and 20BK, respectively. Each color toner image formed in this way is primarily transferred by the primary transfer devices 62C, 62M, 62Y, and 62BK so as to sequentially overlap each other on the intermediate transfer belt 10. As a result, a composite toner image in which the toner images of the respective colors overlap is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 10.
The transfer residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 10 after the secondary transfer is removed by the belt cleaning device 17.

  When the user presses the start switch, the paper feed roller 42 of the paper feed table 200 according to the transfer paper selected by the user rotates, and the transfer paper is sent out from one of the paper feed cassettes 44. The transferred transfer paper is separated into one sheet by the separation roller 45 and enters the paper feed path 46, and is transported by the transport roller 47 to the paper feed path 48 in the copying machine main body 100. The transfer paper conveyed in this way is stopped when it hits the registration roller 49. When using transfer paper that is not set in the paper feed cassette 44, the transfer paper set in the manual feed tray 51 is sent out by the paper feed roller 50 and separated into one sheet by the separation roller 52, and then the manual paper feed path. It is conveyed through 53. Then, it stops when it hits the registration roller 49.

  The registration roller 49 rotates in accordance with the timing at which the composite toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 10 as described above is conveyed to the secondary transfer unit facing the secondary transfer belt 24 of the secondary transfer device 22. To start. Here, in general, the registration roller 49 is often used while being grounded, but a bias may be applied to remove paper dust from the transfer paper. A DC voltage is used for the applied bias, but an AC voltage having a DC offset component may be used to charge the transfer paper more uniformly. Note that the surface of the transfer paper after passing through the registration roller 49 to which a bias is applied in this way is slightly negatively charged. Therefore, in this case, since the transfer conditions are different from those of the transfer paper to which no bias is applied to the registration rollers 49 during the secondary transfer from the intermediate transfer belt 10 to the transfer paper, it is necessary to appropriately change the transfer conditions.

  The transfer sheet sent out by the registration roller 49 is sent to a secondary transfer nip formed between the intermediate transfer belt 10 and the secondary transfer belt 24, and is combined on the intermediate transfer belt 10 by the secondary transfer device 22. The toner image is secondarily transferred onto the transfer paper. The transfer paper that has received the transfer of the composite toner image is fixed on the surface thereof by a fixing device 25, which will be described in detail later. The transfer paper on which the composite toner image has been fixed is conveyed to the paper discharge roller 56 and is discharged to the paper discharge tray 57 and stacked.

Hereinafter, the fixing device 25 will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the fixing device 25 applied to this embodiment.
The fixing device 25 is a fixing device using a wet fixing method in which a fixing liquid is applied to melt or swell the toner image on the transfer paper and fix it on the transfer paper. The fixing device 25 includes a fixing liquid reservoir tank 257 that stores the fixing liquid 256, an application roller 254 that applies the fixing liquid 256 to the transfer paper, and the fixing liquid 256 is pumped from the fixing liquid reservoir tank 257, and the fixing liquid 256 is supplied to the application roller 254. And a pumping roller 255 for supplying 256. The pumping roller 255 is composed of a wire bar. Further, a pressure roller 253 that suppresses the transfer paper when applying the fixing liquid 256 to a position facing the application roller 254 across the transfer paper conveyance path 230, and a downstream side in the transfer paper conveyance direction from the pressure roller 253. And a pressure roller pair 252 for pressing the transfer paper supplied with the fixing liquid 256. Details of the fixing solution will be described later.

  Next, a fixing process in the fixing device 25 will be described. When the toner image is fixed on the transfer paper, the fixing liquid 256 stored in the fixing liquid reservoir tank 257 is pumped up by the pumping roller 255 and supplied to the coating roller 254. At this time, the fixing solution is regulated to a certain amount by the unevenness on the surface of the pumping roller 255 and is carried on the surface of the coating roller 254 in a thin layer state. The fixing liquid 256 on the application roller 254 is applied onto a transfer paper carrying a toner image in a thinned state. When applying the fixing liquid 256 onto the transfer paper, the transfer paper is sandwiched between the application roller 254 and the pressure roller 253. Thereby, the fixing liquid 256 can be reliably and uniformly applied on the transfer paper surface.

  The transfer paper coated with the fixing liquid 256 is conveyed while being pressed by the pressure roller pair 252. By applying pressure with the pressure roller pair 252, the surface of the dissolved or swollen toner layer can be smoothed, and gloss can be imparted to the toner image. Further, by applying pressure, the toner can be pushed in between the uneven fibers on the surface of the transfer paper, and the fixability can be improved. Note that the surface of the toner layer immediately after application of the fixing solution is slightly tacky (adhesive). However, when the pressure roller pair 252 is passed through, the tackiness is lost and it feels smooth. This prevents the transfer sheets from sticking to each other due to the tackiness of the toner image even if the transfer sheets with the image formed on the surface of the discharge tray 57 are stacked after being stacked on the surface after the fixing process. be able to.

  As the pressure roller pair 252, a hard roller (metal roller) pair or a roller pair of a hard roller and a soft roller (rubber roller) can be employed. Further, it is preferable to use a material having a low surface energy, for example, a material coated with a fluorine material, so that the toner hardly adheres to the surface of the roller. Note that a pressure roller cleaning blade 252b for removing the toner adhering to the surface of the pressure roller pair 252 contacts.

  Since the fixing method as described above is different from thermal fixing, there is a concern about the high-speed followability of the fixing process. However, at room temperature (25 ° C.), when the amount of fixing solution applied is 20 mg or less per sheet of A4 paper (diluted with a fixing solution concentration of 3.0 to 5.0 [%]), 500 [mm / [sec] was sufficiently fixed. Furthermore, it discovered that adhesiveness was suppressed rather by passing a pair of pressure roller. Therefore, fixing with higher follow-up capability is possible by increasing the fixing density.

  In the fixing process in the fixing device 25, the fixing solution is not dried by heat. Fixing the fixing speed of the fixer and making it possible to fix even with a small amount of application. Even if the liquid component still exists, the problem is avoided by suppressing the amount of fixer applied to a level where it can diffuse into the fiber layer of the transfer paper. . Of course, even if the transfer sheet does not soak in the fixing solution such as coated paper or film, it is fixed to the transfer sheet due to the adhesive property of the fixing solution to the toner layer. Further, a pressure roller, a blotter roller, or the like may be provided.

Next, the fixing solution used in the wet fixing method will be described. Conventionally used fixers have the following problems.
The first problem is that many of the fixing solutions are harmful to the human body, and there are still problems regarding safety. Some fixer solvents use water that is harmless to the human body, but solutes that dissolve or swell toners have not been sufficiently studied for safety.
Second, many surfactants and softeners used as solutes in the fixer solution to dissolve solutes in the solution feel human odors. When fixed in large quantities, the strong odors make the user uncomfortable. However, the odor was not fully studied.
Therefore, the fixer 256 used in the present embodiment can solve these two problems.

As for the first problem, LD ₅₀ was adopted as an index of safety, and a fixing solution was prepared using a solvent and a solute having both LD ₅₀ of 3.0 [g / kg] or more. . LD ₅₀ is a 50% lethal dose, that is, 50% lethal dose according to the toxicity indication of the American Industrial Hygiene Association. This is the amount that causes 50% of the number of individuals to die when a certain amount of test solvent or test substance is administered to rats or guinea pigs. For example, dimethyl silicone oil has an LD ₅₀ oral dose of 15 [g / kg] or more. Since the 50% lethal dose per kg of the individual is 15 g or more, the estimated lethal dose of silicone oil in a 63 kg human is 945 g or more.
Then, the LD ₅₀ value of the salt is 3.0 [g / kg], and it is determined that it can be said that it is harmless to the human body if a safer one than salt is used. As the 256, an LD ₅₀ having a fixing solvent and a fixing solute of 3.0 [g / kg] or more was used. In addition, if a safer material is desired, it is more preferable to use a material in which both the fixing solvent and the fixing solute are 5.0 [g / kg] or more.

As for the second problem, the odor index is adopted as an index of odors felt by humans so that the odor index of the fixer 256 in which the solvent is dissolved in the solute is 10 or less. The odor index here refers to the dilution factor (hereinafter referred to as odor concentration) when diluted with odorless air or odorless liquid (water) until the odorous gas or liquid can no longer be felt. It is a numerical value obtained by multiplying the common body numerical value by 10. The formula for calculating the odor index is as follows.
Odor index = 10 x Log (odor concentration)
For example, when a gas or liquid containing odor is diluted 100 times with a gas or liquid without odor and the odor is no longer felt, the odor concentration is 100, and the odor index is 20 from the following equation. It becomes.
Odor index = 10 × Log (100) = 10 × 2 = 20
In many local governments that use the odor index as a regulation standard for odor, the odor index on the boundary line of factories and business sites is regulated to 10 or less. Further, the odor index 10 is a level at which 20 people smell a gas obtained by diluting a gas having a different odor 10 times, and 18 people judge that it is odorless. Therefore, if the odor index is 10 or less, it is determined that the odor is odorless, and the fixer 256 of this embodiment has an odor index of 10 or less.

In the above-mentioned patent document 1, the toner is dissolved by a so-called oil-in-water emulsion in which a solute (toluene, benzene, MEK, etc.) that dissolves the toner is dispersed in water, which is a very safe solvent. That is, a fixing solution in which a solute that is insoluble or hardly soluble in water as a solvent is dispersed and mixed in water is used. In this way, the fixing solution is inferior in the speed at which the toner swells and dissolves as compared with the fixing solution in which the solute is soluble in the solvent. The reason for this will be described below.
In other words, droplets and emulsion particles such as toluene and benzene that dissolve and swell the toner have a particle size of several μm to several tens of μm, even if they are quite small, and they may become larger particles over time. is there. Even if such a fixing solution is applied onto the paper surface and applied to the toner layer on the transfer paper, it takes time for the emulsion particles having a large particle size to contact the toner particles and penetrate. Further, since the solute is dispersed in the solvent, the concentration of the solute having the property of dissolving or swelling the toner in the fixing solution is not constant, and the action of dissolving or swelling the toner also becomes uneven. As a result, the toner is fixed on the transfer paper in a non-uniform state, which may deteriorate the fixing quality.

  In order to solve this problem, a combination in which the solute is soluble in the solvent is used as the fixing liquid 256 of this embodiment. In such a fixing solution, since the solute is completely dissolved in the solvent, the penetration into the toner layer is easy, and the speed of swelling and dissolving the toner is increased. Furthermore, if the solute is soluble in the solvent, the solute having the property of dissolving or swelling the toner in the fixing solution contacts the toner image at a uniform concentration, so that the toner fixing state becomes uniform and the fixing quality becomes uniform. Can be improved.

  In addition, a fixing solution in which a solute is insoluble or hardly soluble in a solvent, a so-called emulsion type fixing solution is a two-component system composed of oil droplets as a solute and water as a solvent. Necessary. For this reason, a complicated mechanism such as a density detecting means and a stirring means in a container for containing a fixing solution is required. On the other hand, when a combination in which the solute is soluble in the solvent, such as the fixing liquid 256, is employed, it is not necessary to provide a concentration detection unit, a stirring unit, or the like.

As the toner, it is preferable to use a toner in which the colorant of the constituent material is insoluble in the fixing solution. If a colorant that is soluble in the fixing solution is used, one part of the dye may be dissolved in the fixing solution. When the dye is dissolved in the fixing solution, there arises a problem that the image quality is deteriorated such as coloring other than the image portion and soiling the background portion. To solve this problem, by using a toner colorant that is insoluble in the fixing solution, the dye is prevented from dissolving in the fixing solution, and the image quality is lowered due to the dye being dissolved in the fixing solution. Can be prevented.
Examples of such colorants include the following.
As carbon black made by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, # 2700, # 2650, # 2600, # 2400, # 2300, # 2200, # 1000, # 990, # 980, # 970, # 960, # 950, # 900, # 750 , # 650, MA600, MA77, MA8, and for color, MA11, MA100, MA100S, MA230, # 50, # 47, # 32, # 30, # 25, # 20, # 5, # 95 and # 260 etc. is there. Also, those manufactured by Orient Chemical Industries include SPIRIT BLACK SB, SSBB, AB, NIGROSINE BASE SA, SAP, SAP-L, EE, EEL, EX, EX-B, EB and the like. These are preferable because they are insoluble in the fixing solution. On the other hand, many oil-soluble dyes from Orient Chemical Industry can be used, but those that dissolve in the solvent constituting the solvent of the fixing solution are not selected. For example, WAITER YELLOW 1, 2, 6, 18 and WAITER RED 1, 2, 3, 27, WAITER BLUE 3, 9, 105, and WAITER BLACK 100-L, 187-LM, R-455, R-456, etc. In the case of water base, it dissolves reliably and the image is blurred.

Next, a fixing solution satisfying the characteristics of the above-described fixing solution 256 is prepared, and the pre-process of the fixing process is performed by a ready-made printer, and the unfixed toner image on the transfer paper is fixed by a wet fixing method using the fixing liquid. The fixing degree was evaluated.
In the following examples, both the fixing solute and the fixing solvent are LD ₅₀ = 5. 5 so that the safety is higher than the 50% lethal dose of salt LD ₅₀ = 3.0 [g / kg]. A fixer composed of a material of 0 [g / kg] or more was employed.

[Example 1]
A fixing solution was prepared according to the following formulation, and the fixing solution was spray-coated on a print sample in which an unfixed toner image was formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing portion of an off-the-shelf printer (LaserJet 3500: manufactured by HP). . After coating and drying for 1 minute, the image surface was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhesion to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Hexyl Laurate (LD ₅₀ = 8.0 [g / kg]) 7.0 [wt%]
Solvent dimethylsiloxane (viscosity = 1.0 [mPa · s], LD ₅₀ = 15 [g / kg]) 93 [wt%]
When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and rubbed with waste, it was confirmed that no toner adhered to the waste and the toner was firmly fixed on the transfer paper. Moreover, the odor index of the softener as a solute was 1, the odor index of the solvent was 0, and the odor index as a fixing solution was 0.

[Example 2]
The fixing solution shown in FIG. 4 is formed on a print sample in which an unfixed toner image is formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing portion of an off-the-shelf printer (Laser Jet 3500: manufactured by HP). The fixer was applied using an apparatus. After coating and drying for 1 minute, the surface of the image was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhering to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Isopropyl myristate (LD ₅₀ = 8.0 [g / kg]) 8.0 [wt%]
Solvent dimethylsiloxane (viscosity = 1.0 [mPa · s], LD ₅₀ = 15 [g / kg]) 92 [wt%]
When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and rubbed with waste, it was confirmed that no toner adhered to the waste and the toner was firmly fixed on the transfer paper. Further, the odor index of the softener as a solute was 0, the odor index of the solvent was 0, and the odor index as a fixing solution was 0.

[Example 3]
A fixing solution is prepared according to the following formulation, and the fixing solution is spray-coated on a print sample in which an unfixed toner image is formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing portion of an off-the-shelf printer (Ipsio CX6600: manufactured by Ricoh). did. After coating and drying for 1 minute, the surface of the image was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhering to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Ethyl Laurate (LD ₅₀ = 3.0 [g / kg]) 3.0 [wt%]
・ Solvent water 96 [wt%]
-Solubilization accelerator Sucrose laurate (HLB value 16) 1.0 [wt%]
When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and rubbed with waste, it was confirmed that no toner adhered to the waste and the toner was firmly fixed on the transfer paper. Moreover, the odor index of the softening agent as a solute was 3, the odor index of the solvent was 0, and the odor index as a fixing solution was 0.
Further, by using water as a fixing solvent, a fixing solution advantageous in terms of odor and cost could be created. Also, the problem of VOC (volatile organic compound) can be solved.

When water is used as the fixing solvent, the solute, which is a material for dissolving or swelling the resin component constituting the toner, needs to be a material having an affinity for water. Specific examples of the solute that has affinity with water and is harmless (the value of LD ₅₀ is 3.0 [g / kg] or more) are as follows.
<Fatty acid alkyl ester>
Hexyl laurate, isopropyl myristate, bis (2-ethylhexyl) palmitate
<Saturated dibasic acid ester>
Diisobutyl adipate, diethyl adipate, diethyl succinate, dibutyl sebacate, bis (2-ethylhexyl) sebacate
The fixing liquid 256 employing water as a solvent is prepared by mixing a dissolving / swelling component and a surfactant at a concentration of 20% or less (preferably 5% or less) with respect to water.

[Example 4]
FIG. 4 shows a print sample in which an unfixed toner image is formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing unit of an off-the-shelf printer (Ipsio CX6600: manufactured by Ricoh). The fixing solution was applied using a fixing device. After coating and drying for 1 minute, the surface of the image was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhering to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Diisobutyl Adipate (LD ₅₀ = 12.3 [g / kg]) 6.0 [wt%]
Solvent dimethylsiloxane (viscosity [1.0 mPa · s], LD ₅₀ = 15 [g / kg]) 94 [wt%]
When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and rubbed with waste, it was confirmed that no toner adhered to the waste and the toner was firmly fixed on the transfer paper. Further, the odor index of the softening agent was 3, the odor index of the solvent was 0, and the odor index of the fixing solution was 0.

[Example 5]
A fixing solution is prepared according to the following formulation, and the fixing solution is spray-coated on a print sample in which an unfixed toner image is formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing portion of an off-the-shelf printer (Ipsio CX6600: manufactured by Ricoh). did. After coating and drying for 1 minute, the surface of the image was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhesion to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Diethoxyethyl Succinate (LD ₅₀ = 5.0 [g / kg]) 6.0 [wt%]
・ Solvent Water 93 [wt%]
-Solubilization accelerator Sucrose laurate (HLB value 16) 1.0 [wt%]
When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and rubbed with waste, it was confirmed that no toner adhered to the waste and the toner was firmly fixed on the transfer paper. Further, the odor index of the softening agent was 1, the odor index of the solvent was 0, and the odor index of the fixer was 0.

[Example 6]
A fixing solution was prepared according to the following prescription, and an image was formed with the toner of the liquid developing system and the copying apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2004-86158, with the toner of Example 1 and the copying apparatus of the system disclosed in FIG. . After the image formation, the fixing solution was sprayed onto a print sample in which an unfixed toner image was formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing unit. After coating and drying for 1 minute, the surface of the image was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhering to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Dibutyl Sebacate (LD ₅₀ = 14.9 [g / kg]) 4.0 [wt%]
・ Solvent Fluorine-based solvent (hydrofluoroether) (LD ₅₀ > 5.0 [g / kg]) 96 [wt%]
When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and rubbed with waste, it was confirmed that no toner adhered to the waste and the toner was firmly fixed on the transfer paper. Further, the odor index of the softener was 3, the odor index of the solvent was 2, and the odor index of the fixer was 2. At this time, no unpleasant odor occurred in the office when the toner image was fixed.

As described above, the fixing liquid 256 raised in Examples 1 to 6 has the following characteristics. That is, both the softening agent as the fixing solute and the LD ₅₀ value of the solvent are 3.0 [g / kg] or more. Therefore, it can be said that there is no harm to the human body and more harmless than salt. Also, the odor index is 10 or less in any of the examples. Therefore, there is nothing that emits a strong odor that causes discomfort to humans, and it can be said that it is odorless.
Thus, since the fixer 256 raised in Examples 1 to 6 is harmless and odorless, it can be said that the fixer is suitable for use in an environment where a person is nearby.
Next, a fixing solution that does not have any of the characteristics of the fixing solution 256 described above is prepared, and the fixing process is performed by a ready-made printer up to the previous step of the fixing process. Fixing was performed by wet fixing, and the fixing degree was evaluated.

[Comparative Example 1]
A fixing solution was prepared according to the following prescription, and an image was formed with the toner of the liquid developing system and the copying apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2004-86158, with the toner of Example 1 and the copying apparatus of the system disclosed in FIG. . After the image formation, the fixing solution was sprayed onto a print sample in which an unfixed toner image was formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing unit. After coating and drying for 1 minute, the surface of the image was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhering to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Methyl caprylate (LD ₅₀ = 3.0 [g / kg]) 30 [wt%]
・ Solvent Dimethylsiloxane (viscosity = 1.0 [mPa · s], LD ₅₀ = 15 [g / kg]) 70 [wt%]
When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and rubbed with waste, it was confirmed that no toner adhered to the waste and the toner was firmly fixed on the transfer paper. However, the odor index of this softener was 13, the odor index of the solvent was 0, and the odor index as a fixing solution was 11. For this reason, an unpleasant odor drifted in the office due to a rotten acid odor when fixing the toner image.
Therefore, although the fixing solution shown above has no problem in safety and fixing degree, the odor generated at the time of fixing cannot be used.

[Comparative Example 2]
FIG. 4 shows a print sample in which an unfixed toner image is formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing unit of an off-the-shelf printer (Ipsio CX6600: manufactured by Ricoh). The fixing solution was applied using a fixing device. After coating and drying for 1 minute, the surface of the image was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhering to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Ethyl Laurate (LD ₅₀ = 8.0 [g / kg]) 2.0 [wt%]
・ Solvent water 97 [wt%]
・ Nonionic surfactant 1.0 [wt%]
When the liquid was stirred with the formulation shown above, the softener was emulsified in water to form an O / W type emulsion liquid. When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and then rubbed with a waste cloth, the toner was fixed to the paper to some extent, but the toner adhered to the waste cloth and the fixing was not complete. Therefore, the fixing solution shown above has no problem in safety, but the fixing degree cannot withstand use.

[Comparative Example 3]
A fixing solution was prepared according to the following formulation, and the fixing solution was spray-coated on a print sample in which an unfixed toner image was formed on PPC paper without heating the fixing portion of an off-the-shelf printer (LaserJet 3500: manufactured by HP). . After coating and drying for 1 minute, the image surface was rubbed with a waste cloth, and the degree of fixing was determined by the presence or absence of toner adhesion to the waste cloth.
Fixer Formulation / Softening Agent Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (LD ₅₀ = 2.7 [g / kg]) 15 [wt%]
・ Solvent water 80 [wt%]
・ Surfactant 5.0 [wt%]
When the fixing solution shown above was applied to an unfixed image, dried, and then rubbed with waste, it was confirmed that no toner adhered to the waste and the toner was firmly fixed on the transfer paper. As for safety, the softening material itself has LD ₅₀ = 2.7 [g / kg], which cannot be said to be sufficient safety. Since the fixing solution formed by mixing this with water becomes LD ₅₀ = 18 [g / kg] and LD ₅₀ = 3.0 [g / kg] or more, the problem of fixing safety can be cleared. However, the odor index of this softener was 30, the odor index of the solvent was 0, and the odor index as a fixing solution was 20. For this reason, an unpleasant smell drifted in the office due to a considerable irritating odor when fixing the toner image. Specifically, some people started to copy and felt an unpleasant odor with a few copies and felt headache with 50 to 60 copies.
Therefore, although the fixing solution shown above has no problem in safety and fixing degree, the odor generated at the time of fixing cannot be used.

  The image forming apparatus according to this embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 is a wet image forming apparatus using a liquid developer. However, the wet fixing method using the fixing liquid having the above-described characteristics may be applied not only to a wet image forming apparatus but also to a dry image forming apparatus using powder toner. The image forming apparatus used in the first to fifth embodiments is a dry image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus used in the sixth embodiment is a wet image forming apparatus.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, as the fixing liquid 256 used in the wet fixing method, an odorless and fixing solute and a fixing solvent that are both harmless to the human body are used. Wet fixing suitable for use in the process can be performed.
Further, by using a fixing solution having an odor index of 10 or less, the user is not uncomfortable. Furthermore, by using a material having a 50% lethal amount LD ₅₀ value of 3.0 [g / kg] or more as both the fixing solution solute and the fixing solution solvent, the fixing solution 256 is less harmful to the human body than salt. can do.
Further, by using the fixing solution 256 in which the fixing solute is soluble in the fixing solvent, the concentration of the solute having the property of dissolving or swelling the toner in the fixing solution becomes constant, so that the toner can be uniformly dissolved or The thing which can be swollen can obtain a stable fixing quality. Further, since the solute is completely dissolved in the solvent, the penetration into the toner layer is easy and the speed at which the toner is swollen and dissolved is increased.
In addition, by using water as the solvent constituting the fixing solution 256, a fixing solution advantageous in terms of odor and cost can be produced. Also, the problem of VOC (volatile organic compound) can be solved.
Further, by adopting a wet fixing method as a fixing method of the copying machine 100 as an image forming apparatus, an excellent energy saving measure is obtained. Furthermore, by using the fixing liquid 256, the copying machine 100 can perform fixing with high safety without causing the user to feel uncomfortable and is suitable for installation in an environment where a person is nearby. be able to.
In addition, by using a material constituting the toner in which the colorant is insoluble in the fixing liquid 256, the toner dye is prevented from dissolving in the fixing liquid 256, and the dye is dissolved in the fixing liquid. It is possible to prevent the image quality from being deteriorated.
Further, the fixing device 25 has an application roller 254 as a fixing liquid application roller that carries and transports the fixing liquid 256 on its surface in a thin layer state and supplies the fixing liquid 256 in a state of spreading on the transfer paper. The fixing liquid 256 is thinned and supplied to the transfer paper, whereby the fixing speed can be increased, and the fixing liquid 256 can be supplied to the unfixed image without the transfer paper rolling.
Further, the fixing device 25 includes a pressure roller pair 252 that pressurizes the transfer paper supplied with the fixing liquid 256 from the application roller 254 on the downstream side in the transfer paper transport direction. The transfer paper coated with the fixing liquid 256 is conveyed while being pressed by the pressure roller pair 252. By applying pressure with the pressure roller pair 252, the surface of the dissolved or swollen toner layer can be smoothed, and gloss can be imparted to the toner image. Further, the fixability can be improved by pushing the toner between the uneven fibers on the surface of the transfer paper. Note that the surface of the toner layer immediately after application of the fixing solution is slightly tacky (adhesive). However, when the pressure roller pair 252 is passed through, the tackiness is lost and it feels smooth. This prevents the transfer sheets from sticking to each other due to the tackiness of the toner image even if the transfer sheets with the image formed on the surface of the discharge tray 57 are stacked after being stacked on the surface after the fixing process. be able to.
In the embodiment, a combination of metal hard rollers is presented. Although the metal roller alone is likely to be stained, toner contamination can be prevented by using a fluorine-coated roller having a releasable surface structure. Further, one of the pressure rollers may be an elastic roller. Further, not only the roller but also a transfer paper carrying toner on a smooth belt may be sandwiched and pressure may be applied by the roller.
Further, a pressure roller cleaning blade 252b as a cleaning unit is in contact with the surfaces of the pressure roller pair 252 which is a smooth roller of the fixing device 25. Thus, even if toner adheres to the pressure roller pair 252, the toner adhered by the pressure roller cleaning blade 252 b can be removed, and an abnormal image due to toner contamination of the pressure roller pair 252 is generated. Can be prevented. Further, by applying a fluorine coating on the surfaces of the pressure roller pair 252 to reduce the surface energy, the cleaning device can obtain a sufficient cleaning performance only by contacting a simple blade as shown in FIG. Can do.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire copying machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a configuration of a main body portion of the copier. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a configuration of two adjacent image forming units of the copier. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a configuration of a fixing device of the copier.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Intermediate transfer belt 14, 15, 16 Support roller 18Y, 18C, 18M, 18BK Image forming unit 20Y, 20C, 20M, 20BK Photosensitive drum 21 Exposure device 22 Secondary transfer device 25 Fixing device 61 Liquid developing device 230 Transfer paper conveyance Path 252 Pressure roller 253 Suppressing pressure roller 254 Application roller 255 Pumping roller 256 Fixing liquid 257 Fixing liquid reservoir tank 300 Scanner

Claims (10)

In a fixing liquid that is supplied onto a recording medium carrying a toner image, dissolves or swells the toner that forms the toner image, and fixes the toner image on the recording medium.
A fixer solute having a property of dissolving or swelling the toner, and a fixer solvent for diluting the fixer solute,
A fixing solution that is odorless and that both the fixing solution solute and the fixing solution solvent are harmless to the human body. The fixing solution according to claim 1.
A fixing solution having an odor index of 10 or less, and both the fixing solution solute and the fixing solution solvent having a 50% lethality LD ₅₀ of 3.0 [g / kg] or more. In the fixing solution according to claim 1 or 2,
A fixing solution, wherein the fixing solution solute is soluble in the fixing solution solvent. In the fixing solution of claim 1, 2, or 3,
A fixing solution, wherein the fixing solution solvent is water. In a fixing method of fixing the unfixed toner image on the surface of the recording body by supplying a fixing solution for dissolving or swelling the toner to the unfixed toner image formed on the surface of the recording body.
A fixing method using the fixing solution according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4 as the fixing solution. The fixing method according to claim 5.
A fixing method comprising: supplying the fixing liquid to an unfixed toner image formed on the surface of the recording body, and then applying pressure to the recording body. Forming a toner image on the recording medium,
In an image forming apparatus for fixing a toner image on a recording medium by supplying a fixing solution for dissolving or swelling the toner on the recording medium carrying the toner image,
An image forming apparatus using the fixing solution according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4 as the fixing solution. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7.
An image forming apparatus, wherein a colorant among materials constituting the toner is insoluble in the fixing solution. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 or 8,
The fixing solution is carried on the surface in a thin layer state, and the fixing solution is supplied to the recording medium carrying the toner image by a fixing solution application roller that applies the fixing solution in the thin layer state to the recording body. An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, 8 or 9.
An image forming apparatus comprising a pressure roller for pressing the recording medium supplied with the fixing liquid.

Images